1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device to provide a shaded area for game fish. It is an accepted fact that game fish and feeder fish are both attracted to underwater structures for foraging and for cover. Structures can be natural to include growing underwater vegetation, parts of fallen trees, large rocks and man-made features such as docks and other sunken objects. In sunlight conditions, feeder fish will recognize and forage or hide on the shaded side of a structure to avoid detection and capture; predatory fish will also hide in shaded areas to lay in wait to capture a feeder fish or other food source. In theory then, any man-made structure that creates a favorable location that attracts game fish when foraging would provide an advantage to fishermen for enticing and catching fish when casting artificial lures or live bait on either side of the known structure. A fish structure will also attract fish when the sun is not out or in evening hours because it appears to provide cover and concealment. Furthermore, if the structure had a natural vegetation appearance to it provided by a photographic image of vegetation, the apparatus would have an enhanced function as a natural attractant any time it is in place in the water and visible to the fish.
By the observation of the inventors and by frequent demonstrations and mention on sport fishing television shows and print media, it is a recognized fact that fish are attracted to contrast differences in their surroundings. Many game fish routinely stake out hunting territory around underwater structure, especially by waiting in shaded areas during daylight hours. In some fishing spots, the bottom is relatively free of structure and so the fishing in those areas is often lacking because fish do not have a place to forage or hide. The purpose of this invention is to provide structure and cover, especially when the sun casts a shadow that covers a game fish if it swims up to the structure to sit in wait to capture feeder fish.
The structure is described as “Weedless” because this is a common usage term used by fishing enthusiasts to describe any type of apparatus or condition that reduces the likelihood that fishing hooks will snag onto objects that the hooks pass over or against when the lure or bait is being retrieved by the fisherman.
Typically when fishermen use exposed hooks and one or more hooks drag (come in contact) over an object, it will become snagged on the object, which interferes with the effective presentation of the lure or bait. Snags are a real annoyance for fishermen. The smooth, thin and flat surfaces and rounded edges of the fish structure will allow most fishing lures and hooks to pass over the structure rather than become snagged onto it. Hence, the Weedless attribute as a claim and innovative feature applies to these embodiments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,845 to Aydelette discloses a bait container under horizontally oriented members to provide areas for fish to assemble.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,672 to Hill et al. discloses a ballasted and anchored structure that is constructed of a plurality of simulated fronds. It is inclusive of materials to bait the fish in the area by smell.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,582 to Feld discloses a fish lure in the shape of floating panels with simulated sea weed which may be anchored or towed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,779 to Fussel discloses an anchored assembly of horizontally oriented plates to provide shade and to thereby attract fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,774 to Burghoff discloses a tethered bait supply to attract fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,577 to Burghoff discloses a tethered bait supply with line guide to attract and catch fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,764 to Dempsey discloses a floating ring supporting an opaque sheet to provide shade for fish and to attract them thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,229 to Allyn discloses a vertically oriented restraining sheet or net to prevent unwanted fish migration from one area to another.
3. Objectives of the Invention
This invention is to attract fish to a known area so that a fisherman may make his casts with some degree of confidence that fish will be in that area. It does this by providing shade in the water for the larger game fish, the predators, to hide with little effort to thereby reduce the currents, eddies and water born vibrations that betray their presence to game fish.